If proper air exchange is taking place, what would you expect to observe?

• A. Chest rise and fall
• B. No movement
• C. Abdominal movement only
• D. Breathing sounds only

Answer: (A)

Air exchange happens when the lungs inflate and deflate as you breathe. The most visible sign of that is the chest rising during inhalation and falling during exhalation. This chest movement shows ventilation is taking place. While abdominal movement can occur with certain breathing styles, the chest rise and fall is the reliable cue that air is moving in and out. If there were no chest movement, there wouldn’t be active air exchange, and relying on breathing sounds alone wouldn’t always confirm ventilation.